Jurrell Casey gets monster payday from Titans with earlier-than-expected extension

The Titans defensive lineman just scored an extension worth more than $60 million

The Titans didn't need to get a contract extension done with Jurrell Casey this offseason, but they decided to do one anyway in order to get their best defensive player locked up for the foreseeable future. 

The team announced on Friday that Casey has signed a four-year extension. According to ESPN.com, the new deal is worth a total of $60.4 million and includes $40 million in guaranteed money. 

The two sides were able to work out an extension despite the fact that Casey still had two years remaining on his old contract. For the most part, teams generally look to extend a deal only when a player has one season remaining. 

"It is rare to do a contract extension early in this business," Titans general manager Jon Robinson said in a statement. "But Jurrell is a unique player in that he was drafted here, has already done an extension with the team, is a standout in our community, and has earned multiple Pro Bowl invitations. We are happy to have him as a Titan for many years to come."

As Robinson mentioned, this is the second extension Casey has signed with the team since 2011, when the Titans selected him in the third round of the NFL Draft. Back in 2014, Casey signed a four-year, $36 million deal that was set to pay him $5.9 million in 2017. 

It's easy to see why the Titans were so eager to extend Casey, he's one of the best defensive lineman in the NFL and is a rock on Tennessee's defense. The 27-year-old racked up five sacks in 2017, which marked the fourth straight season that he's recorded at least five sacks. Casey is the only Titans player to put together a streak like that since the team moved to Tennessee in 1997. 

The scary thing for opposing offenses is that Casey only expects to be better this year. 

"I am 10 times stronger than I was," Casey said, via the Titans' official website. "A lot of times I looked at the film (this offseason) and you see a lot of plays you can make. If you stay in your gap and use proper technique, if you have a little more oomph, then that is one split second in making the play and not making the play. I want to make sure I make every play I possibly can." 

Casey has been to two Pro Bowls during his six seasons in Tennessee. 

The new deal for Casey came on the same day that the Titans reported for training camp. The team's first practice of camp is scheduled for Saturday.